Evaluation of serum amino acid profiles’ utility in non-small cell lung cancer detection in Polish population

• 31 free amino acids were measured in 153 Polish lung cancer patients and controls.
• Various statistical tests were applied for data exploring.
• Altered serum levels of Phe, Cit, Asp and β-Ala were found as lung cancer features.
• Model based on 6 amino acids enabled accurate sample classification (90.3%–77.1%).

ObjectivesData from studies performed in Japanese and Korean populations suggest that free amino acid profiles have the potential to aid in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) detection. However, there is still no data regarding abnormalities of free amino acids and their usefulness in NSCLC detection in European populations. The aim of the study was an evaluation of utility of amino acid profiles in NSCLC detection in Polish patients.Materials and methodsLevels of 31 free amino acids were determined in 153 serum samples applying a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry-based methodology. Patients with I stage lung cancer represented a significant part of the studied group (46.7%). The obtained metabolite profiles along with clinical data were subjected to multivariate statistical tests.ResultsThe presented study indicated that the increased serum level of phenylalanine and decreased level of citrulline are among the most robust cancer signatures in blood of NSCLC group. In addition, increased levels of aspartic acid and β-alanine were also recognized as important features of NSCLC. Amino acid selected based on studies of Asian patients were found to have insufficient specificity in NSCLC detection in the studied population. Therefore, we proposed a new set of 6 amino acids (aspartic acid, β-alanine, histidine, asparagine, phenylalanine and serine), which ensured higher accuracy in sample classification (from 90.3% to 77.1% depending of histological type).ConclusionWe indicated that some of the free amino acid alterations occur in serum of NSCLC patients in early stage of disease and thus they can be valuable components of a blood multi-marker panel for NSCLC detection.